Where and what to eat in Fort Worth, Texas, and sometimes beyond

1. Fort Worth’s best new restaurant of 2014 is Clay Pigeon. You’d never know it’s chef Marcus Paslay’s debut. That’s because Clay Pigeon comes off like a seasoned veteran, from the spot-on service to the quality of the farm-to-table scratch-made food to even the decor – nothing here screams “first-timer”. I love the bone marrow and each of the pastas I’ve had have been incredible, certainly on the same level with Nonna Tata’s, another resto that makes pasta from scratch. My favorite dish is the flounder (which rotated off the menu a few months ago but may rotate back on soon). They recently opened for lunch and feature several items not available at dinner, like a pork schnitzel that I can’t wait to try. 2731 White Settlement Road, 817-882-8065.

Cowboy risotto at Bird Cafe.

2. Bird Cafe may be old hat to those who live in Dallas, since the menu is nearly identical to Bird’s sister restaurant in Dallas, Meddlesome Moth. But it has been a wonderful addition to Downtown Fort Worth. It’s not very expensive, it’s quick and the American-inspired food has been consistently stellar. For lunch, I highly recommend trying the daily risotto (my fave is the “Cowboy Risotto” made with chili), the smoked chicken salad sandwich and the egg white frittata. At dinner, get the fish and chips, the rabbit pot pie or the crispy tofu. There’s an extensive wine list and craft drinks, too. The restaurant is in the 19th century Land Title Block building, which has been beautifully restored. 155 E. 4th St. 817-332-2473.

Beef tenderloin at Le Cep.

3. For years Saint-Emilion has been Fort Worth’s go-to for French cuisine. This year in stepped Le Cep Restaurant offering a more modern take on classic French staples. Locally owned by a French-trained chef Sandra Avila and her wine connoisseur of a husband David, the restaurant offers two tasting courses with dishes that rotate monthly. Those dishes have include a phenomenal beef tenderloin, a cauliflower salad, venison tartare and for dessert a lovely raspberry ice cream. A server walks the floor with a cheese tray and they’ll hard sell the wine. You’ll spend a lot of money but you’ll have a truly unique experience. 3324 W. 7th St., 817-900-2468.

The Delia at Cane Rosso.

4. Still one of the hottest restaurants in Fort Worth with long waits on weekends, the Fort Worth branch of Dallas-based Cane Rosso has been a delicious education for us all. But even if you don’t like Neapolitan pizza, the restaurant’s other dishes are just as good, like the gargantuan Cuban sandwich and freshly made pastas (my favorite is the meatball lasagna, served on Friday and Saturday night.) Even the salads are great. 815 W. Magnolia Avenue, 817-922-9222.

AF+B’s grass-fed burger.

5. The W. 7th district really needed another hit, and it got one when AF+B (American Food and Beverage) opened earlier this year. Former Bolsa chef Jeff Harris reimagines American standards with grace and skill in a warm classy setting. One of my favorite things to do is have AF+B’s burger in the bar area, with its black-and-white tile floor, room-length mirror and windows that let you peer out onto the street. 2869 Crockett St., 817-916-5300.

Crispy rice and chicken at Pho & Grill.

6. Go for the pho. Please, go for the pho at Pho & Grill. But go back for the crispy rice dishes, the vermicelli and the specialty drinks like Vietnamese coffee. This tiny resto, housed where Red Door Bistro used to be, has been a godsend to southwest Fort Worth, where chains usually rule. 4938 Overton Ridge Blvd. 817-292-3311.

8. What Kenzo Tran did with sushi with his Piranha Killer Sushi, he’s now doing with Vietnamese food at Pho District – that is, putting a fancy spin on it while also paying homage to the food’s roots. In addition to the four kinds of pho he serves fantastic pork belly buns, a chorizo-topped rice pancake and for dessert ice cream sushi. Decor is sleek and sexy, also like Piranha. 2401 W. 7th St., 817-862-9988.

9. I love the Austin spirit and bright colors of Lanny Lancarte’s new Righteous Foods, his tribute to eating healthy (in the space occupied by his shuttered Mexican resto, Lanny’s Alta Cocina Mexicana). Nearly everything is locally sourced and/or organic, down to the ingredients in the booze and cold-pressed drinks. He serves breakfast, lunch and early dinner – from light items like yogurt and waffles to heavier dishes like burgers and flank steak. The sweet potato ravioli is a must. I do wish the prices were a tad lower. I’d eat there every day. 3405 W. 7th St. 817-850-9996.

Sausage and candied jalapeño pizza at Pizza Snob.

10. Pizza Snob is a fast-casual pizza place that doesn’t taste like a fast-casual pizza place. The ingredients go beyond the typical and the thin crust is highly addictive. They serve a mean kale salad, too. It’s always packed with TCU students but I take my two kids all the time and we always feel comfortable and welcome. 3051 S. University Dr. 817-462-7662.

* Some good news & bad news about Fort Worth’s Hedary family. First the bad. Celaborelle Phoenician Restaurant has closed temporarily until repairs are made to the house, owner Youssef Hedary said. Yes, house. If you’ve never been to Celaborelle, you haven’t experienced eating some of the city’s best Mediterrean food in one of the neatest old homes on Hemphill on Fort Worth’s south side.

Now the good news. Youssef has taken over his family’s namesake restaurant, Hedary’s Mediterranean Restaurant on Camp Bowie. Not just the cooking, mind you. But he has taken over the restaurant, doing away with Hedary’s menu in favor of bountiful plates of fresh vegetables, hummus, fruit, gargantuan pita bread, sausages, rice dishes, lamb pizzas and most of his other staples of Celaborelle. Plus he brought the dirt-cheap prices from Celaborelle with him, too.

As for Celaborelle, the roof needs to be repaired, among other things. “It’s going to be a while (before
it’s back open),” Youssef told me.

* Downtown, Hoya Korean Kitchen , a new fast-casual Korean spot in Sundance Square is still hoping to open by the end of the year, says Sundance rep Tracy Gilmour. A block over ViVo 53, a new pizza concept, is taking overThe Vault’s old space in The Tower. Cheesecake Factory is still on track to open Dec. 9. Nearby Embargo, home to downtown’s best late night eats, is closing tonight according to its Facebook page.

* Magnolia Cheese Company, one of Fort Worth’s best restaurants of 2013, is closing to make way for a new concept from owner Elizabeth Northern. An announcement on the restaurant’s Facebook page says she’s repurposing the space as a market and wine room. Thus, the name of the space has been changed to Magnolia Market & Cheese Company. Hopefully, this won’t be a repeat of Ryan’s Fine Grocer & Deli. The new place will open in the coming weeks.

Magnolia Cheese Co.’s acclaimed chef Jennifer Williams, one of a dozen people who lost their jobs, has already landed on her feet at the excellent Sera Dining & Wine (she’s replacing departing chef and co-owner Brandon Hudson). I can’t wait to see what she does at Sera.

* Two recent casualties in W. 7th – Hacienda San Miguel and The Fish (formerly MK’s Sushi). Bite City Grill’s chef Eddy Thretipthuangsin will open a new Korean resto called Kin Kin Urban Thai in MK’s old spot, according to Bud Kennedy. Hacienda San Miguel’s space will soon be home to the second location of Mash’d (the original is in Frisco), a bar/restaurant from TruFire Kitchen & Bar’s brain trust that will no doubt go head-to-head against forthcoming neighbors Social House.

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Another restaurant is taking a stab at The Tower condominiums in downtown Fort Worth. ViVo 53 Pizzeria will take over the spot once occupied by chef Jean Michel Sakouhi’s The Vault at 525 Taylor St.

According to a LinkedIn page, ViVo 53 is being opened by entrepreneur Paul Daneshrad, the CEO of a California real estate company called Starpoint Properties. Paul didn’t return my calls, but the LinkedIn page says the restaurant will offer “wood fired pizza” and will be “a Pizzeria experience that captures the guest’s imagination and engages their senses.” Seriously. That’s what it says.

A Tower receptionist said it is slated to open sometime early next year but had no other details. Tower management didn’t return calls, either.

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Fall is always a good time for new restaurants to open. They get a few weeks to get their feet wet and kinks smoothed out before the busy holiday season begins.

This fall has to be one of the busiest our city has seen for new restaurant openings in years. I think some may end up opening in 2015 but here’s who is banking on arriving by year’s end.

Cheesecake Factory: The popular chain is opening a sixth location in Sundance Square in the old Barnes & Noble and Ferre spots across the street from Bass Hall. I haven’t been to a Cheesecake Factory, so I can’t attest to the quality of the food. But the menu is absolutely huge. There are pizzas, burgers (I counted 8 different kinds), salads, steaks, pastas, flatbread and traditional sandwiches, coffee drinks and of course different kinds of cheesecake. I stopped counting at 20. A manager at the Arlington location said the menu at the Sundance location will pretty much be the same as the others. Sundance Square marketing director Tracy Gilmour said it will open Dec. 9. 455 Commerce St.

Construction continues at the new Hoya Korean Kitchen.

Hoya Korean Kitchen: Sundance Square will also be home to a new fast-casual Korean restaurant, Hoya Korean Kitchen, which takes over the vacated Quizno’s spot at Taylor and 3rd Streets. It’ll be run by Odes Kim, who also has a sushi restaurant in Dallas called Little Katana. But at Hoya he’ll focus on food – with a healthy slant – from his homeland. The interior, which will include an indoor/outdoor seating area with a retractable roof, is being designed by Hatsumi Kuzuu, who also designed Tei An, FT33 and Urban Taco. Tracy Gilmour from Sundance says it could be open in November.

Le Cep Restaurant is scheduled to open Oct. 30.

Le Cep Restaurant Next to Burgundy Pasture Beef will soon be this quaint French and modern European restaurant from local couple David and Sandra Avila, who were inspired by trips to France. Sandra also worked and studied in France, for a while at the Eiffel Tower’s restaurant 58 Tour Eiffel, according to an article in Indulge magazine. A menu hasn’t been released yet, but various stories have mentioned dishes such as seared duck, scallops with almonds and champagne vinaigrette and that there will be an 8-course tasting menu. It is slated to open Oct. 30. 3324 W. 7th St.

Pho Hung, coming to Camp Bowie.

Pho Hung: Authentic pho is coming to Camp Bowie, courtesy of the Pham family, who also runs Pho Hung locations in Haltom City, Portland and Vietnam. I love how they have three different levels of pho – Beginners, Everyday Favorites and Adventurers Choice. The latter includes pho made with honeycomb tripe, brisket fat and tendons. Beginners pho selections feature pho with meatballs, chicken and beef brisket. Owner Charlie Pham says the new location should be open in December. It’ll be nice to see the old Wan Fu space brought back to life. 6399 Camp Bowie Blvd.

Righteous Foods opened Tuesday.

Righteous Foods: Opened Tuesday, Lanny Lancarte’s new “clean living” restaurant is the first of its kind in Fort Worth – a “healthy” restaurant that emphasizes “responsibly sourced” and organic food that’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (although you gotta get there quick for dinner; it closes at 7:00 p.m.). Breakfast dishes include coconut and quinoa oatmeal, smoked salmon and eggs and pork shoulder omelete, while lunch and dinner features smoked pistachio guacamole, pork tacos, a variety of salads and an organic burger. You can also get fresh fruit drinks, cold pressed drinks and coffee from Stumptown out of Portland. When I swung by last week to check out the interior, I didn’t even recognize the place. The space has been opened up to one room and its interior is now brightly decorated with vivid and striking color schemes. I really hope this place does well. 3405 W. 7th St.

Social House will open in Brownstone’s old spot in the W. 7th area.

Social House: Dallas restaurants continue to move into Funkytown. This one at least comes from a good pedigree. It’s a spruced-up bar food concept dreamed up by Chef Brian Olenjack of Olenjack’s Grille in Arlington.
This will be the third Social House location. Two others are in Dallas. A manager at the Uptown location said the menu will be nearly identical, so expect chicken fried oysters with horseradish sauce, pizzas, burgers, salads, sliders, steaks and speciality dishes like a three-meat meatloaf, rosemary bourbon butter chicken and apple jalapeno chutney pork chop. If you look on their Facebook page, you’ll see a lot of photos of people partying and drinking. It could be Brownstone all over, but I’m willing to give that bourbon chicken a shot. Opening Nov. 6. 840 Currie St.

In the old Ray’s spot will soon come The Wild Mushroom.

The Wild Mushroom Steak House and Lounge: If you haven’t been to The Wild Mushroom in Weatherford yet, no need to make that drive now – it’s coming to Fort Worth. Chef Jerrett Joslin is closing his 5-year-old steakhouse on Saturday but will barely miss a beat as it will reopen next month in the space recently vacated by Ray’s Prime Steak & Seafood in the Ridglea Village Shopping Center, next door to Little Lily Sushi. Joslin won’t be the executive chef, however (he’s focusing on another endeavor in Weatherford, the soon to open Vintage Grill & Car Museum. Instead the chef will be Darrin Green, who has worked at the Omni Hotel in downtown Fort Worth and Central Market. A manager at the Weatherford location said the menu will be scaled back to steakhouse essentials, including several cuts of steak, pasta, salads and seafood dishes, and that the wine list will be expanded. It’s scheduled to open November 6. 3206 Winthrop Ave.

Other new restaurants coming in early 2015 – Fuego Burger, long awaited burger spinoff from owners of Salsa Fuego, Dee Lincoln Steak Bar in Museum Place (scheduled to open in March) and Wild Salsa and Chop House, a pair of Dallas restaurants that’ll be side by side in the new One City Place development downtown. Rumors continue to swirl about a new location for Billy’s Oak Acres BBQ. I’ll keep tabs on that one, too.

* Pho District isn’t the only new pho restaurant in town. Now comes the recently opened Pho & Grill, occupying Red Door Bistro’s old strip mall spot on Overton Ridge Blvd. The restaurant is owned by Tony Tran, who ran a pho restaurant in Arlington called Kim Hong Restaurant.

While Pho District puts a snazzy spin on traditional Vietnamese food, Pho & Grill is straight-up traditional. The menu consists of 13 types of pho, ranging from the usual (meatball, chicken, steak) to flavors many pho newcomers may not be familiar with (fatty brisket, beef tripe, tendon). The huge menu also includes rice dishes, vermicelli, and house specialties like butter fried frog legs, water spinach and bean curd, catfish hot pot, and spare ribs sautéed in fish sauce. For every dish that may seem unusual to newcomers to authentic Vietnamese fare, there are familiar dishes like sautéed beef and rice, egg rolls, spring rolls and fried rice.

It’s nice to see an authentic pho restaurant in the middle of the Hulen area’s gluttony of chains. Locals seems to be loving it, too. This past Sunday there was a line to the door and a 30-minute wait. 4938 Overton Ridge Blvd. 817-292-3311.

* Just a few weeks after the Ashton Hotel’s Six 10 Grille did away with lunch and dinner service, the restaurant has relaunched lunch and also introduced several new items. This new lunch menu includes veggie enchiladas, red fish and rice, steak and potatoes, and an avocado shrimp salad. The new lunch hours are 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Breakfast service remains daily, including Sunday (it’s one of my top picks for breakfast). 610 Main St.

* Onetime Dallas restauranteur Monica Greene is now serving fast-casual Tex Mex on the Bluebonnet Traffic Circle at Pegaso Diner (3516 Bluebonnet Circle). Mi Cocula, in old Texas Grill space, is now open at 6550 Camp Bowie Blvd. A new Mexican Inn has popped up at 5017 S. Hulen St. Every food blogger in North Texas except for me has made mention of two new restos coming to Museum Place – Mi Cocina founder Mico Rodriguez’s new concept Mesero and former Del Frisco’s exec Dee Lincoln third Dee Lincoln’s Steak Bar.

New in the So7 district, Pho District is the latest restaurant from Piranha Killer Sushi founder Kenzo Tran. It’s an homage to the street food of his homeland Saigon and Vietnam. He has taken a similar approach as Piranha, honoring the tradition of these foods but chef-afying them with unique twists and turns.

Dry pho ga.

Without question the main attractions here are the four different kinds of pho. Two are made with chicken, two with beef, two dry and two traditional. Dry pho hasn’t taken a hold in the United States but is quite popular in Vietnam. Basically, it’s pho with broth served on the side, allowing you to control the broth to ingredients ratio.

I tried the chicken dry pho and really liked the dry pho approach. It gave me an opportunity to zero in on the broth, which had strong, clean flavors, and to sample the noodles before they were doused. But even when I poured the broth on, the noodles held up. They were slippery and firm and stayed that way until my last bite. I also liked the simple chicken, which was sliced into hearty chunks.

In addition to the chicken dry pho there’s also a regular pho with chicken breast and quail egg, a beef pho with brisket, meat ball and filet mignon, and a dry version of the latter.

Pork belly banh mi.

There’s a lot of pork and pork belly on the menu. I tried the pork belly banh mi and for the most part enjoyed it. It contained slices of soft boiled egg and what I thought was a generous serving of pork belly. The sandwich was too small in my opinion. I’d get this at lunch but probably not dinner again. I loved the presentation – it was served on a Vietnamese newspaper, mimicking how you might get it Vietnam (rolled in a newspaper). It came with a cool and creamy slaw that had a kick to it.

Chorizo pancake.

My favorite dish was the chorizo pancake. The “pancake” was a flash fried rice patty – a spin on a Vietnamese tradition of using burned rice as the pancake. It was a little like banh xeo, but served flat, like an traditional pancake (as opposed to being folded over like a taco, which is how banh xeo is often served). It was dotted with tiny chunks of spicy chorizo and dusted with shredded pork jerky. I definitely recommend it.

Sushi ice cream.

The sushi ice cream sounded tempting for dessert. Much to our surprise, instead of rice, Rice Krispies came wrapped around vanilla ice cream, all topped with chocolate and strawberry syrup. It was a nice, light dessert. Next time I’m getting the pandan creme brûlée, which our server highly recommended. Other desserts include a sesame donut and banana spring roll.

If you ever visited the space’s previous tenants, Bayou Jack’s and/or So7 Bistro, you won’t recognize the place. The restaurant has been completely revamped with dark colored woods and an enclosed patio. Lighting is soft and decor consists of Vietnamese artwork.

There’s also a full bar and specialty drinks. Judging from this meal alone it’s one of my favorite new restaurants of 2014.

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No matter what type of breakfast you want, there’s a restaurant in Fort Worth that has it, from simple and cheap to artfully crafted and high dollar.

Below are my picks for the city’s top breakfast spots. Feel free to chime in with your own by leaving a comment.

Flour tortillas being made at Anakaren Bakery on the west side.

Who has the best breakfast tacos in Fort Worth is the source of endless local debates. A sure-bet are the breakfast tacos at Anakaren Bakery on the far west side. With a recently expanded dining room, this location is the fifth in a locally owned chain, but everything is made on the premises, including the fresh flour tortillas used for the tacos. Said tacos come stuffed with your choice of egg, ham, chorizo, bacon, potato, PLUS refried beans, tomato, onion and grated cheese, if you choose – it’s a lot of food for under $2. In addition, there’s menudo, tortas and other Mexican breakfast dishes, along with a huge selection of Mexican pastries, freshly made rice pudding and cases and cases of tres leches cake. Cake for breakfast? Why the heck not? Breakfast hours: 6:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. every day.8751 Camp Bowie W. Blvd., 817-244-0600.

From the arty Mad Men-meets-Antiques Roadshow interior to the laid-back service, Brewed feels plucked right out of Austin. Each room is decorated with knick knacks and repurposed oddities, like a bedspring that serves as a chandelier. Go for the cool decor and great patio, stay for breakfast and get the Belgian waffle covered in fresh berries and bacon. You can also get it topped with chicken tenders for a more savory meal. As the name implies Brewed’s specialty is coffee. As such, they offer a full coffee menu of hot and cold drinks. Breakfast hours: 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Tuesday-Friday (some of the breakfast dishes are also featured during weekend brunch).801 W. Magnolia Ave. 817-945-1545.

The sun rises over Carshon’s Deli. Locals swear it sets over it, too.

Carshon’s Deli, a kosher-style deli open since 1928 is best known for mile-high lunchtime sandwiches, but unbeknownst to many the restaurant serves breakfast, too, most notably egg plates made with their famous cuts of beef. Get the egg and corned beef, a mix of scrambled eggs and diced corned beef. It comes with a bagel, a thick slice of cream cheese and homemade strawberry jam. It’s never crowded for breakfast, either, so you can relax and read the paper. People still do that there. Breakfast served 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Monday-Saturday.3133 Cleburne Road. 817-923-1907.

French toast at Jake’s Hamburgers.

Downtown’s best kept breakfast secret can be found at the last place you’d think to look – Jake’s Hamburgers. Seven days a week, the Dallas chain’s downtown Fort Worth location serves a full breakfast menu, featuring items like oatmeal pancakes, chicken fried steak and eggs and some of the very best French toast in town, made with grilled French bread and drizzled with cinnamon, powdered sugar and vanilla icing. So much is drizzled on, you can’t tell where the bread ends and the plate begins. Breakfast hours: 7:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m.-Noon Saturday-Sunday. 515 Main St. 817-332-5253.

The SOB at Jazz Cafe.

If you haven’t been to Nick Kithas’ Jazz Cafe yet, you’re missing out on several things starting with the most eclectically decorated restaurant in Fort Worth, from the weathered statues that guard the front door to the funky mismatched furniture to the trinkets and relics strewn about inside, many from the restaurant’s original downtown location (back when it was called “Daddios”). You’re also missing the SOB (chile con carne mixed with eggs and crisp tortilla strips), wonderful biscuits, and house hashbrowns topped with sour cream and black beans. Sometimes there’s live jazz Sunday mornings. The Jazz Cafe is a truly unique Fort Worth experience. Note: cash or check only. Breakfast served 9:00 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sunday only.2504 Montgomery Street. 817-737-0043.

Biscuits and coffee at Montgomery St. Cafe.

From Moe’s Cafe to Benbrook Cafe to West Side Cafe to the Dixie Houses, mom-and-pop home-cooking cafes are scattered all over Fort Worth. My pick for the best is Montgomery Street Cafe. The nearly 30-year-old spot is beloved for its charming, itty bitty size, waitresses that call you “Sweetie,” and checkerboard tablecloths. But more importantly, the food is solid, especially the crisp on the outside, flaky on the inside biscuits, which go spectacularly well with a big bowl of cream gravy. Breakfast served 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Monday-Saturday.2000 Montgomery St., 817-731-8033.

Blueberry pancakes at Old Neighborhood Grill.

Old Neighborhood Grill is one of those cheerful restaurants that will put a smile on your face the instant you walk in. The staff is unflinchingly kind, even when the place is packed and there’s a line out the door. The go-to breakfast dish at this casual American spot is the pancakes, thick and fluffy and dotted with blueberries and other toppings. You must try a biscuit, too. They’re made with Miller Lite beer. Prices are reasonable. There are tables outside when the weather’s nice. Breakfast is served 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Monday-Saturday. 1633 Park Place Ave. (817) 923-2282.

Salmon and avocado omelette at Paco & John’s.

Located in the Medical District Paco and John’s is a great place to go if you don’t want the usual breakfast staples. You can build your own omelets, using a variety of ingredients like salmon, avocados and gorgonzola cheese, or indulge in a generous torta breakfast sandwich filled with black forest ham, or play it light with spinach and egg white tacos. With less than a dozen tables, the place is tiny and since everything is made on the spot, it can take a little while to get your food. But it’s always worth it. Breakfast is served 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.1116 8th Ave., 817-810-0032.

Fort Worth’s beloved Paris Coffee Shop.

If it’s a straightforward breakfast you want with a side of good people watching, nothing else will compare to Paris Coffee Shop, an historic restaurant on Fort Worth’s south side that has been open for more than 50 years and hasn’t seemed to have aged a bit. The old school menu at this Fort Worth institution includes grits, eggs, waffles topped with strawberries and biscuits and gravy. If you time your morning visit right, you may be first to get a slice of freshly made pie. The great old photos of Fort Worth are alone worth enduring the sometimes crazy crowds. Open 6:00 a.m. daily (closed Sunday).704 W. Magnolia Ave. 817-335-2041.

Riva’s Mexican Restaurant serves some of the city’s best Mexican breakfast dishes.

There’s no shortage of good Mexican breakfast spots in Fort Worth. Anyone who’s ever been to Esperanza’s or Hemphill’s Restaurant can attest to that. But there’s another little Mexican breakfast joint that has flown under the radar but is well worth visiting – Riva’s Mexican Restaurant in the River Oaks area. Open for 20 years and family owned, it’s inexpensive and very, very good, with breakfast burritos big enough for two, daily egg plate specials for under $5 and homemade flour tortillas. It has a local neighborhood vibe and there’s usually live music Sunday mornings. Breakfast served all day starting at 7:00 a.m. (closed Monday).5442 River Oaks Blvd., 817-377-2424.

Bananas Foster French toast at Six 10 Grille.

For a white tablecloth breakfast in a quiet, low-key atmosphere, try the Six 10 Grille at the historical Ashton Hotel; a boutique hotel housed in a six-story, 1915 building that served as the original home to the Fort Worth Club. The Bananas Fosters French Toast is sweet tooth heaven. There are also omelets, oatmeal pumpkin pancakes and steak and eggs. Elegant food in a classy environment. Breakfast is served 6:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Monday-Friday and until 11:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.610 Main St., 817-332-0100.

West Vickery Boulevard has several breakfast options – Melis Taqueria, Swiss Pastry Shop and the newly opened Railway Cafe. But more and more people are rediscovering Vickery Cafe, a revamped diner full of surprises. There’s now a huge breakfast menu, packed with out-of-the-norm dishes like house brined corned beef hash, turkey bacon and hollandaise-topped eggs, a direct reflection of chef Curtis James’ 2012 takeover of the place. He mixes his chef-inspired dishes with classic American breakfasts like traditional omelets, chocolate chip pancakes and ham and eggs. The food is exceptionally good and service is diner-style friendly. “Whatcha want for breakfast, honey?”

Also see my late night dining guide for a few places that serve breakfast all day (and all night), such as Ol’ South, Salsa Limon and Cafe Brazil.